November | Reading the City

In November, SHIBAURA HOUSE hosted a series of in-depth programs centered on exhibitions, research, and cross-cultural dialogue. From international curatorial projects to academic collaborations and artistic practices, the month continued to explore how cities are observed, interpreted, and lived in.

Pre-event |Swedish Style Japan

Date: 11/7
Location: SHIBAURA HOUSE @5F

This marked our first collaboration with the Embassy of Sweden, celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Swedish Style. The event welcomed the Swedish Ambassador to Tokyo, along with many friends from Sweden and Japan, for an evening of food, drinks, and lively exchange in a relaxed atmosphere.This gathering also served as a preview of the “Woodlife” exhibition, which the Embassy of Sweden will present at our space in December, and planted the seeds for future collaboration.

Thank you to: The Swedish Embassy, SHIBAURA HOUSE, Omnipollo, Norrbottens Destilleri, Teenage Engineering, Askul, and Stockholm Design Lab.

EXHIBITION |Photography& Calligraphy

Date: 11/5〜11/16
Location: SHIBAURA HOUSE @1F+@2F Terrace 

This November, we co-hosted the “Spicy Taiwanese Girls” photography and calligraphy exhibition with Taiwanese photographer Yu-Liang Lin and calligrapher Ching-Chuang Ho, using Tsai Ing-wen (Taiwan’s first female president) as the central figure. The exhibition first opened in Kotohira, Shikoku, Japan. The exhibition inviting many visitors from Taiwan to experience this lesser-known town through works that express the diverse and powerful cultural identities of Taiwanese women.

During the exhibition, some outdoor works by Yu-Liang Lin were adjusted due to Typhoon weather conditions, yet visitor enthusiasm remained strong. When the exhibition moved to our space, it attracted over 300 visitors, and more than 160 calligraphy works by Ching-Chuang Ho were sold. We also welcomed representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Japan and several Taiwanese companies for visits and exchange.

Special thanks to Ms. Xiao Ling for planning and organizing this exhibition.

PRESENTATION |University of Tennessee
Date:11/19

Location:SHIBAURA HOUSE @5F
Under-Track Tales: Urban Episodes in Ameyoko
University of Tennessee, School of Architecture Tokyo Studio

This year marked the third collaboration between SHIBAURA HOUSE and the University of Tennessee. The exhibition presented works by architecture students who visited Tokyo for the first time and spent three months closely observing the dense, improvised urban life unfolding beneath the railway tracks in Ameyoko, Ueno.

Beginning with the theme “Urban Episodes,” the studio drew inspiration from Edo-period picture scrolls and ukiyo-e, as well as contemporary artists such as Akira Yamaguchi, Manabu Ikeda, and Makoto Aida. Students translated small, everyday stories found under the tracks into hanging scroll–style drawings, each accompanied by a short presentation explaining their design ideas.

These works functioned as both narratives and architectural proposals, depicting a city constantly being reshaped and inviting viewers to consider how architecture can engage with an urban story that is always unfolding.We sincerely thank all the students and the three professors who traveled from afar, and we look forward to continuing this collaboration next year.

EXHIBITION |  Machi-koba

Date:11/27〜11/30

Location: SHIBAURA HOUSE @1F exhibition+@5Fsymposium 

'A Section through Tokyo’s Labor scapes, Exploring Multiple Dimensions of Machi-koba' exhibition and symposium, curated by Vincent Mirza, David H. Slater, Keigo Kobayashi, and Christian Dimmer, was held at SHIBAURA HOUSE.This exhibition mainly focusing on “Machi-koba” (small neighborhood workshops), expanded the idea beyond local manufacturing and craftsmanship to include community networks, live–work lifestyles, and the social and personal value of labor. It presented a more layered and complex view of Machi-koba as part of the urban fabric.Like SHIBAURA HOUSE itself, the venue was considered another possible form of Machi-koba within the city where work, living, and creation intersect which offering a multi-layered vision of the urban landscape and inviting visitors to reflect on the future of the city.

We sincerely thank the students and faculty from Waseda University and the University of Ottawa for their collaboration in making this exhibition and symposium possible.

Throughout November, exhibitions and exchanges at SHIBAURA HOUSE brought research, creativity, and daily life together. By sharing perspectives across regions and disciplines, the city was viewed in new ways. We hope these conversations will continue to grow and lead to future collaboration.